FOO FIGHTERS - In Your Honor

Long-awaited fifth album for Dave Grohl's band. Their previous work, "One By One", had partly disappointed fans and critics alike. While the band finally seemed tight and cohesive (much of the credit going to the arrival of new guitarist Chris Shiflett), the album betrayed a lack of inspiration, its few good ideas smothered by Nick Raskulinecz's bombastic production. Now Grohl and co. try again, with a far more ambitious double album, "In Your Honor", split into an electric first half and an entirely acoustic second half.

Let's get one thing straight from the outset: the Foo Fighters haven't changed (and never will change) the course of music history, and this new record doesn't make us think otherwise, even though it's decidedly better than the previous album. The first disc is classic Foo Fighters, delivering ten tracks of energetic, at times violent punk-rock that still doesn't shy away from melody (quite the opposite). The band turns in some of its finest songs ever, starting with the single "Best Of You", a compelling ballad that opens slowly with just guitar and voice before exploding into a thunderous, driving rhythm. "No Way Back" could well become the new "Monkey Wrench", while "DOA", which echoes The Offspring quite noticeably, seems destined for a bright commercial future.

While "Free Me" and "The Last Song" reveal the band's harder-rocking side, influenced by Grohl's stint in Queens Of The Stone Age, the melodic "Resolve" brings us back to territory more in keeping with the band's roots. The title track and closer "End Over End", meanwhile, are the kind of songs made to be shouted at the top of your lungs at gigs, as well as clear tributes to early Queen (whom Grohl has never hidden his love for).

The second disc holds the more interesting surprises. "Miracle", a melancholy love song, is probably the standout track of the bunch, featuring John Paul Jones on piano. "What If I Do?" and "Over And Out" are two slow ballads with epic ambitions, though not especially gripping. On the jazzy "Virginia Moon" you can make out Norah Jones's voice dueting with Grohl, while on the closing "Razor", a hypnotic and strikingly powerful folk piece, it's Josh Homme who picks up the guitar. "Cold Day In The Sun" (with drummer Taylor Hawkins on vocals) comes across as a "minor" track at first, but slowly gets under your skin thanks to its infectious, hum-along chorus.

Ultimately, "In Your Honor" is exactly what you'd expect from a band like the Foo Fighters. You enjoy it from start to finish, then forget it just as quickly. One wonders whether a band like this, now on its fifth album, will ever manage to produce something truly interesting and innovative — and it's a fair question, given that the band is technically superb and memorable songs are hardly in short supply. But perhaps it's best not to ask unnecessary questions: the Foo Fighters were only aiming to make something fun and summery, and, at least on that front, they hit the mark.

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30/04/2026